Group Tutoring sessions are a minimum of three hours. In our experience, this “magic number” allows students to organize materials, create a study plan, execute the plan, and bring closure to the session by recapping what was completed (and what work remains) in an email.

From Mondays to Thursdays, group begins at 4:00 and ends at 7:00. On Sundays, there are two sessions which run from 12:00 to 3:00 and 4:00 to 7:00.

The average student to tutor ratio in group is 3:1. By design, students work independently at times and also with tutors. All to-do sheets and prioritization of assignments are checked by a tutor before students begin initiating work.

Group Tutoring is ideal for students who need organizational and content support in a variety of subjects. Students begin each session by completing a “to-do” list which outlines and prioritizes short and long term assignments. Tutors check each student’s to-do sheet with their assignment books, learning management system (Blackboard, Haiku, etc.), and any other means of communication between students, parents, and teachers such as emails and progress reports.

The groups setting allows students to receive instructional support when they need it and work independently on tasks with which they feel more comfortable. This builds independent learning skills and confidence.

Additionally, group students find themselves surrounded by peers, some of whom are in the same classes. Students quickly learn that school can be challenging for others as well, but there are solutions to achieving success. For example, tutors often model how to use example problems in a math book or credible encyclopedias to find answers.

Individual tutoring follows a traditional tutoring model which allows students to meet one-on-one with a consistent tutor in a private setting. Individual tutoring works well for students who need thorough support in specific subject areas such as foreign languages or to work on research papers. In this setting students receive the full attention of their tutor for the duration of the session.

Compared to group, individual sessions are not as comprehensive, although they may be organizationally based.

We do offer in-home and in-school tutoring in extreme cases depending on the academic needs of the student.

For group tutoring to be effective, students must consistently come on the day(s) they are scheduled. This builds a rhythm of work that is paramount to success, while also allowing staff to learn each students’ learning styles.

Students may request additional sessions, but placement in group is not guaranteed.

At MLS we have implemented daily routines that model a strong study rhythm and refine organizational skills. The three hour time commitment required for group students underscores the fact that homework is a priority and should not be interrupted by other tasks.

Furthermore, students begin each group session by forming a prioritized list of assignments with a tutor.  Students compose a daily to-do sheet detailing short and long term assignments gathered from a variety of sources, such as assignment books, Blackboard, Google docs, etc.  Tutors help students design a plan for the day based on due dates, level of difficulty, and time required to complete each assignment. We emphasize the value of chunking up hefty assignments, such as projects and test preparation.

Finally, we ensure that students carve out time to clean out their backpacks and file their papers into the appropriate academic binder in the appropriate subsection. We model these habits daily as students begin to adopt them for themselves over the course of the school year.

From Monday to Thursday, we tutor students from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM. On Sundays our hours are from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

During the summer, we typically tutor students from the mid-morning to the evening, Monday through Friday.

Our recommendation is tailored to each individual student’s needs.  For some students, a once a week group tutoring session is sufficient.  For others, a once or twice a week private session, and/or a second or third group session, may be needed. We will assess your student’s needs and recommend a tailored program.

We tutor students from pre-kindergarten through college.

We require an email to cancel a session by 6 pm the day before the session to avoid charges. If we do not receive and the lesson is not rescheduled, you will be charged for the full lesson.

In the event of illness or a family emergency, you will not be charged regardless of the notification, but of course we appreciate as advanced notice as possible.

At the end of each group session, students write an email to their parents and MLS summarizing what they did in their tutoring session, when assignments are due, what assignments need to be completed, and any other important information. We call these emails “Just the Facts.” Parents are encouraged to contact their student’s tutor with any questions or concerns.